The Secret School

The Secret School derives its name from the fact that the response that one receives from the power of reciting mantras is secret. No one can tell you about it.

You must cultivate it yourself and then you will know the mantra’s influence for yourself; just as when you drink water you yourself know whether it is warm or cold. It is not that the mantras themselves are secret.

He goes abroad where people do not know him. He tells them, “I am the king of a certain country, but the generals revolted and there was a change of government.

I secretly escaped and came to this country.”

The king of this country really does not know whether he is genuine or not. He is a phony, but the kingthinks that he is genuine, so he gives him one of the princesses for a wife. This makes him a prince, a member of the king’s household. He was not a king before, but he acts like it.

Day in and day out he is always losing his temper.

Then a person comes to this country who knows that this impostor was a poor and lowly person, and says to the princess who is married to him, “When he gets angry, you need only say these few sentences:

‘Originally you were a poor and lowly person who drifted in from another country far away. Why must you have such a big temper?’

As soon as you say this, he will know, ‘Oh, she knows my humble origins,’ and will not get angry anymore.” A mantra has the same effect. As soon as you recite the mantra, the gods and ghosts will assume that you understand their origins, that you know what they are all about, and so they will not dare to cause you trouble.

and if you can recite the Dharani continuously, without skipping a single sound, then in this very life you may certify to the four fruits of a shramana. You will be endowed with a keen disposition, wise contemplation, and expedient methods.

You will obtain the status of the Ten Grounds without difficulty. Even more will you be rewarded with small blessings. You will obtain everything you seek.

Foolish people say that secret things are the best. Why? Because they are secret, and they are not available to everyone.

So people who do not understand Buddhism speak of the supernatural and mysterious saying, “Oh! I cannot tell this to you! It is from the Secret School, and it cannot be spoken for you to hear!” If they cannot speak of it to others, why mention it? Why do they say they cannot talk about it?

If it is really the Secret School, and it is best not to speak of it, why do they say, “I cannot tell you”? Their “not talking” is just talking about it.

If mantras are really secret, they should not be transmitted to other people; for if you transmit a mantra to someone else, it is no longer secret. It is the same as the Sixth Patriarch’s answer to Hui Ming’s question:

“He (Hui Ming) further asked, ‘Apart from the above secret speech and secret meaning, is there yet another secret meaning?’ Hui Neng said, ‘What has been spoken to you is not secret.

If you return the light and look within (examine yourself) the secret is yours.’”

Speak it and it is not secret.

Take a look; he said it very clearly. Once spoken, it is no longer secret. The “secret” is that which is not transmitted. If it can be transmitted, it is not “secret”.

The secret cannot be transmitted; it is on your side, within you; it is where you are.

I believe that even many Secret School DharmaMasters do not understand how to explain “secret” dharma correctly. They think that mantras are secret. But all mantras can be orally transmitted to people; there are no mantras which cannot be spoken.

If they could not be spoken, there would be no way to transmit them. Isn’t that right? If it is transmittable, it is not secret – and by that odd logic, it would be no longer be the Secret School.

Because the “secret” is untransmittable, I say that the “secret” is the mantra’s power, and there is no way anyone can tell you about it. No one can say, “This mantra has this power, and when you recite it, such and such will happen.”

There is no way to explain it. It is like drinking water; you yourself know whether it is hot or cold. The “secret” is what you know and others do not.

The power is secret, the response is secret, the subjectiveexperience is secret; it is not the mantra that is secret. Now does everyone understand?

Incorrect or not, I will still speak this way. And if you say I am right….there is no way for you to say that, either.

Since you basically do not understand this dharma, how can you say that I understand? I do not understand, I am even more confused.

Previously, however, I had a teacher who taught me with great clarity so that I understood, and this confused person changed into one who could speak and explain the Brilliant Mantra of Six Words according to the Secret School.

Later, many more were able to recite the mantra from memory. Now I will talk about the Brilliant Mantra of Six Words.

The first word is “Om”. When you recite “Om” once, all ghosts and spirits must place their palms together because this signifies their intent to maintain the rules and regulations.

By conforming to the regulations, they stay on the proper way. Recite this once and all ghosts and spirits do not dare rebel and create confusion; they do not dare disobey orders. This is the first sound in the mantra.